Student Activists Join the Fray in Brazil

Why are students stepping up in Brazil? For starters, they’re directly impacted by the state of the economy. Brazil’s youth are up against an unprecedentedly bleak job market. How much so? Youth unemployment rates are currently at 27 percent compared to 15 percent during the previous administration.

One factor is in the reach of internet and social media, and young people are particularly well positioned to have a collectively loud voice. Said engineering student Mauro Victor Castro in the IBT article, “We young people have the impression that we can change the world — not just change but change for etter.”

While the circumstances in Brazil may be unique, student activism has a rich, global tradition. From Ukraine and Taiwan to Cairo and Canada, students have been instrumental in political movements in recent history. Meanwhile, a recent article in The Atlantic points to the resurgence of student activism on college campuses in the U.S. The same phenomenon is happening in France with the “Nuit Debout” movement, during which young Frenchmen and women organize debates and discuss all night plans for the future of the country.

Why are students so inclined to activism? According to experts, they’re often rebelling against an undesirable foreseeable future while exerting their own ability to make a difference. University campuses, meanwhile, foster ideal environments for idea development and exchange.